Well, don’t actually forget about the environment. After all, high-speed trains are the least emitting form of travel per passenger mile. But the Fast Lane also wants you to know that building high-speed rail makes very good business sense. First there’s the immediate boost to employment in the construction industry. There is also permanent employment and increased economic activity near the line, argues the U.S. Department of Transportation. In the Los Angeles area alone, a statewide high-speed rail system would contribute 55,000 permanent jobs and boost the local economy by an extra $4.3 billion, according to advocates for the project.

Need a surefire plan for a good time at CicLAvia this Sunday? GOOD Magazine has you covered. First, writer Alissa Walker suggests that you make your way to the event via a group ride — there are numerous ones departing from all over town. Once you arrive, there’s a scavenger hunt in Little Tokyo, dodgeball at 7th and Valencia Street and host of other organized activities. Check out the GOOD story and the CicLAvia website for all the details.

President Obama has started a national discussion on energy policy at the same time that Congress is holding hearings on the next surface transportation bill. Of course, those two are inextricably linked in America, given the extent to which our transportation system relies on petroleum. The City Fix’s Itir Sonuparlak has a detailed report from a conference hosted by the New America Foundation, where participants discussed a number of ways to better align energy and transportation policy. Among the options considered were raising the gas tax and supporting more transit-oriented development.